Leap of Love
by Elani
Summary: Lucy Caspian. What if Caspian had seen the sea people in the last sea? The events that unfolded and Lucy’s unusual new feelings. Appearance by the one and only Aslan.


Disclaimer – I own absolutely zilch, zip, zamous, or in other words nothing.  Well except the romantic overtones of the plot.  Although if my Dad buys me Caspian for my birthday he will then belong to me only.  So Ha!

_Author's Note – Just something I felt like writing.  A one-chapter story with my favourite couple Lucy/Caspian.  For purposes of the story Caspian is seventeen and Lucy is fifteen.  If that's wrong sue me, (that was a joke by the way)._

_Although are there really any other couples out there?  I mean who was there really for Peter or Edmund?  That is my next challenge to myself; write a good romantic Peter story.  Anyways you want to read my story so here it is…_

_Summary – What if Caspian had seen the sea people in the last sea?  The events that unfolded and Lucy's unusual new feelings.  Appearance by the one and only Aslan._

_Leap of Love_

Lucy couldn't resist one last peek into the clear, crystal waters as the chaos after Reepicheep's exploits died down.  And staring right up at her, barely inches from the glassy surface of the water, was one of the beautiful sea-ladies.  Her regal gaze travelled across the decks occupants, eyes wide.  Lucy watched as the sea-lady pulled her steed closer to the ship, eyes drinking in the sight.  Suddenly the sea-women's mouth fell open in surprise.  Lucy's own eyes followed the line of the sea-women's gaze, falling on Caspian.  The sunlight fell on his hair, making his locks shine golden.  He had just drunk of the fresh water and his skin glowed with a new vigour, tanned from the days under the sun.

Lucy looked back to the sea-women, whose eyes were now shining with a fierce hunger as she gazed upon Caspian.  Lucy was surprised to find she felt a pain stirring inside her, an anger, as she saw that look upon the sea-women's beautiful face.

_"Caspian would surely want her," _she thought, unknowing of where the thought came from.

Caspian caught her eye suddenly, giving her his cute, lop-sided smile.  The smile he reserved for Lucy only.  She smiled back.

_"All will be fine as long as I don't draw his or anyone else's attention to the water,"_ she thought, taking a step toward Caspian.  However the sea-women had other ideas.  There was suddenly an almighty splashing noise and then a high-pitched shriek.

Lucy watched Drinian try in vain to pull his men back, to stop the sudden rush toward the ships side.  Lucy reached out to Caspian and Edmund, trying to warn Edmund and stop Caspian.  The right hand that reached out to Caspian clutched air however, inches away from a snatch of material.

"No…" Lucy whispered.

The men began to shout and point, delighted smiles on their faces as they set eyes on the precious creature.  Lucy pushed her way to the rail, trying desperately to position herself next to Edmund.  He however was smiling quite serenely at the sea-women.

"She is an extraordinary creature Lu, isn't she?" he said as his sister appeared at his elbow.

"You aren't going to jump in after her are you?" Lucy asked, her voice fearful.

"Oh course not Lu, I'm not stupid," he replied, surprise in his voice, "You didn't seriously think I would did you?"  He turned his gaze upon his sister.

"No, I was just worried.  Forgive me Edmund."

"Course Lu," he went back to watching the sea-women as she pranced along the side of the ship, twirling her long strands of purple hair about her fingers, gaily laughing and pointing at the men.

Caspian pushed his way through the crowd, stopping on Lucy's other side.

"She is the most exquisite creature in all of Narnia," he said in an awed tone.  His eyes never left the sea-women, lustful almost, as he drank in every move her fluid body made.  Lucy felt that pang again, that started in her navel and worked it's way upward, tightening its grip around her heart.

"There are far prettier and easier to obtain creatures," Edmund answered.

"I agree brother," Lucy replied.  The way the creature swam directly underneath Caspian's position on the ship was making her ill at ease.

"Then I wish to obtain her," Caspian said regally.  Lucy let out a little squeal.

"Oh Caspian you can't.  What if she's dangerous?"

As if the sea-women understood their words she held out a perfect ivory arm to Caspian.

"See fair Lucy, she wishes to come with us."

And with that Caspian threw off his sword and climbed onto the ship's rail.

"I, Caspian the Tenth, King of Narnia, hereby wish to acquire this beautiful maiden as my Queen.  Any who oppose me or her shall meet my sword once I save saved her from the murky depths."

"There not exactly murky," Edmund muttered.  Lucy ignored him however.

"Caspian please," she said imploringly, holding out her small porcelain hand to him, "Don't do this.  Stay on the ship."

She didn't quite know why, but it suddenly felt as if her whole existence depended upon this one moment, her whole life in Narnia and her whole life outside Narnia depended on Caspian's actions now.

"Please," she whispered one more, tears pricking at her eyes.  Her hand shook and she tried to hold the gaze of Caspian's eyes.  Caspian smiled down at her and then turned to the sea, diving straight into the calm waters, causing dancing ripples to chase each other right across the glassy surface.

Lucy's hand fell, her gaze following.  Two tears leaked out of her eyelids, making to glittering spots on the deck.

"Caspian," came the frantic call of Drinian.  Lucy's head shot up.  Caspian was struggling with the sea-women, trying to pull away from her.  She was shrieking wildly though, grasping at Caspian and trying to pull him downward into the depths.

Caspian refused to kick or hit out at her however, his court upbringing teaching him it was uncivilised to strike a Lady.  Lucy however raised her bow, putting an arrow to its string calmly in the sudden chaos around her.  Her hand did not waver as she took aim.

"Come on Lucy," Edmund muttered in her ear.

Eyes narrowed she took aim.  Her arrow flew straight and true, hitting the sea-women between the eyes.  Her grasp on Caspian loosened and he pushed her away.  Lucy watched her still body float downwards, a terrible look of anger upon her face.

Caspian was swimming strongly toward the ship.  Drinian threw him a rope as he neared the side and soon Caspian was on board, dripping all over the newly cleaned deck.

"Thank you, thank you," she could hear him panting, "I feared for my eardrums, the women was screeching in them so.  Oh I have been foolish, to think I could capture such a demon of the sea.  But pray, who shot the arrow that saved me?"

"Lucy did," Edmund called.  All eyes were upon her.  She blushed and lowered her bow, from the position she had taken to shoot.

"Queen Lucy the Valiant," Caspian said in a warm tone that made Lucy's spine tingle, "I thank you.  Although I might have been spared the torment if but I had listened to your good council at the first opportunity."

He bowed low to her, taking the porcelain hand she had previously offered him in his own and bringing it to his soft lips.  She could feel the heat from her own blush.

"H-honestly Casp-p-pian it was n-n-nothing," she stammered, "A-a-anyone would have d-d-done the s-s-s-same."

"Queen Lucy I am forever in you debt.  I feel life below the sea was not for me," he replied with a laugh.  The others joined in to.  Lucy forced a giggle but she could not shake off the fact that she had failed something.  Some kind of test.

"Let us move swiftly from this place," Caspian cried, straightening up from his bow.  "Come Lucy," he said, taking her arm, "I wish to speak with you."

He pulled her to the quiet head of the ship, and they peered out over the dragon's head.

"I wished to apologise to you Lucy," Caspian began in a quiet voice, not looking at her but out over the sea.

"I should never have refused your hand and jumped into that sea.  I am foolish and unworthy of such a person aboard my ship as you Lucy,"

He turned to her, his eyes burning into hers with an intensity that was almost too much to bear.  Lucy looked away.

"We all make mistakes Caspian, and there was no harm done was there?" she replied, gazing at but not really taking in, the sea before her.

"I fear there was though," he replied, "I fear that my whole existence depended upon that one moment.  And I fear I made the wrong decision."

Lucy was silent but she could not stop two more tears from squeezing out of her eyelids.

_In The Silver Sea_

Lucy sat at the stern of the ship, playing with some of the lilies she had pulled up from the water.  They were the sweetest smelling, softest lilies she had ever felt or seen and as she lay on her stomach she placed them into idle patterns, running her fingers over their pearly surfaces.

"An intricate pattern," someone commented from behind her, "Are you an artist as well as an archer and Queen Lucy?"

She turned and smiled up at Caspian, "It's nothing really.  I'm not that good at art.  In school I never used to get high marks for my pictures.  Hattie Edgerton was always top of the class."

Caspian dropped down next to her, nudging one of the lilies with the toe of his boot.

"I always used to wish I was schooled with other children," he confided, "I always wished for companionship as a child.  And now I have it, it always seems to be taken away."

"Oh Caspian, Edmund will come back I'm sure.  Aslan has not told us this is to be our last journey into Narnia yet."

"It is not just Edmund that I speak of, fair Lucy," he answered.  She looked up at him in surprise.

"What?  You find it so hard to believe I enjoy your company?" he said with a light laugh.  Reaching out he cupped her chin with his hand.

"Who could not enjoy the company of one such as you?  Fair, light and as beautiful as any sea-women and more so."

Lucy blushed crimson.  "Caspian," she replied weakly, dropping her gaze.

"Lucy I want you to stay here in Narnia with me.  I want you to sail back across this ocean with me and once more rule Narnia, with me at your side."

Lucy choked, "Oh Caspian," she sighed, "You know it can never happen.  I have my own world to go back to.  My Mother and Father and Peter and Susan.  I couldn't bear not ever seeing them again.  And Edmund, what if he wasn't allowed to stay?"

Caspian shifted closer to her, letting her chin drop.  He picked up a lily and began to play with it, twisting it between his fingers.  Finally he reached over and tucked it behind Lucy's ear so it shone against her golden mane.

"But time passes so differently in your world to Narnia.  Edmund has said so.  He said that years could pass here but no time would pass in your land.  You could stay here until you were an old women, still beautiful to my eyes, and then travel back to your own world, to become beautiful and young once again," he began in earnest.

"Oh Caspian it's a wonderful idea but you know it isn't us who decide when we come and how long we stay here, it's Aslan.  If he means me to go home then I will have to.  And what happens if after a few years time does begin to pass at home.  What will Mother and Father think if I am missing for years and then suddenly reappear the same age as when I left?"

It was Caspian's turn to sigh.  "Lucy I want you to be with me forever.  I have known it ever since I first laid eyes upon you.  Please at least tell me you feel something for me, be it friendship or love."

Lucy reached out her hand to him and he grasped her small, porcelain one in his larger, tanned one.

"I…I think I do Caspian," she barely whispered.

"Only think?" he inquired, his voice hoarse.

"Caspian I, I don't know," she dropped her gaze, "I don't know."

She felt his grip on her hand tighten, although not roughly, and his hand cupped her chin again and pulled her gaze upward.

"It is good enough for me," he replied, leaning in toward her.

Their lips met in a soft kiss, chaste and sweet.  Lucy tangled her free hand in Caspian's floppy golden locks, gripping his own hand equally hard with her other.  He deepened the kiss, teasing her mouth open.  She felt him shift his position, and still kissing him she pulled herself up from her lying position, so she was sitting down, her knees together and feet by her bum.  Caspian moved around and mirrored her position, pulling her closer to him with his free hand.  He ran his hand up and down her spine, sending shivers across her skin.  Lucy reached up and entwined her arms around his neck, pulling her chest to his own.  Both his arms snaked their way around her waist, holding her close.  Everywhere Caspian touched seemed to be on fire to Lucy and she sank into his strong hold.

After minutes that seemed like eternities Lucy pulled away suddenly, smiling giddily.  Caspian returned her smile and pulled himself to his feet.  Looking down he offered his hand to her and graciously she took it.  He pulled her gently to her feet but the force sent her crashing into his chest.  He wrapped his arms around her, holding her there.  She sighed and buried her head in his chest.  Caspian let his own head rest atop hers, taking in the smell of her hair, her skin…

"I wish we could stay here forever," Lucy whispered.  The sun shone down on the couple entwined together on the stern of the ship, her rays playing over their sparkling skin, dancing across their expressions of ecstasy.

"As do I," he murmured into her hair, his breath making the smaller hairs shift and dance.

"Maybe if we plead with Aslan he could let me stay," Lucy said, although her tone was unsure.

"Let's not worry yet Lucy, the time may be far away for you to leave," Caspian replied, although he too, did not believe his own words.

A breath of wind caught the two, blowing the lily from Lucy's hair.  It fluttered down and fell onto the deck, forlorn and lonely.

_The Evening Before Caspian Tries To Abdicate._

Lucy awoke suddenly and it took moments for her to steady her breathing.  She felt as if she'd had some kind of dream, an important dream, although she could not recall any of its events.  Sighing she pulled the thin blanket closer to herself.  Moonlight from the window that took up nearly a wall of the cabin fell upon her skin, making it seem ethereal and silvery in the light.

She reached out toward the water jug placed on the bedside cabinet, wishing for a cool drink to quell the sticky feeling in her throat.  Lifting the cold glass to her lips she took a sip of the liquid, enjoying its coolness as it slid down her throat.

Reaching out to place the glass back on the cabinet she let out a shocked squeal and promptly dropped the glass, when there was a sudden knock on the door.  There was a crash of breaking glass and then the door was swung violently open, revealing Caspian with a half-worried, half-angered expression on his face.

"Lucy what is wrong?" he whispered, wildly staring about the room as if he expected some evil to suddenly jump out upon him.

"Nothing Caspian," she replied, trying to steady her breathing, "You just surprised me and I dropped the glass, that's all."

She climbed out of the bed, nimbly avoiding the sharp shards of glass and headed toward a drawer in the desk.

"Here let me," Caspian said.  He strode over to Lucy and without warning swept out her feet from under her.  She let out another squeal and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Caspian?" she squealed.

"What?" he laughed.  He deposited her back onto her bed before setting about clearing away the mess of the glass.

Once he had finished he sat down awkwardly on the edge of the bed, playing with the corner of her blanket.

"Was there something you wanted to ask me Caspian?" she prompted, wondering why he had decided to visit in the middle of the night.

"Yes but…no," he replied, "You may think me a fool Lucy but, well, I had a dream.  I cannot remember its events entirely but it left me with a feeling that this is truly our last night together and I wished, if it isn't to presumptuous of me, to spend it with you Lucy."

He looked hopefully at her, eyes searching her own.  However an uncomfortable thought had struck Lucy and she squirmed slightly.

"Well Caspian…I mean to say…er…well…it's not exactly proper is it?" she finished.  Caspian's mouth opened wide and then shut again.  There was an expression of hurt in his eyes that made Lucy want to cry.

"Lucy your honour as a woman was never in question.  I…I am aggrieved if I gave that impression to you.  To preserve both our honours then I must leave at once."

He turned slowly and began to stride out his shoulders slumped.  Lucy watched after him, her heart calling out to him.

"Caspian," she called before she could stop herself.  He stopped in the doorway and slowly turned to face her.

Only their eyes were needed to communicate this conversation.  Caspian looked at her with such love and hope in his eyes and Lucy returned his look with one filled with love and sadness, love and loss.

He crossed back to her, shutting and locking the door behind him.  Lucy scooted over on the bed and Caspian lowered himself down onto it.  For a moment they were awkward, embarrassed, but the next moment Lucy was snuggled down next to him, his arms wrapped around her.  Lucy's breathing became even and she was soon fast asleep.  Caspian however stayed awake, listening to the gentle sound of her breathing, watching her chest rise and fall.  Sighing he kissed her forehead and then let his own eyes drop closed.

The moon smiled down on the two lovers, sleeping peacefully in one another's arms.  However the Lion that danced across its surface held pearly tears in its eyes.

_After Caspian Was Told He Couldn't Sail To The Ends Of The Earth_

Caspian slammed the cabin door, making it rattle on its hinges and threw himself down onto his bed.  He grabbed the blankets, twisting them in his hands, the blankets he had shared with Lucy, his chosen and wanted Queen, last night.  He wanted to stay with her forever, for as long as he could, that is why he wanted to sail to the ends of the earth with Reepicheep, he believed that he would find Lucy's world with her and that he could stay there forever with his love.

But even Lucy herself was against the idea.  Why would he want to go back to Ramandu's daughter when he had her by his side?

He banged his fist down on the bed, hot tears leaking from under his tightly closed eyelids.  He wildly flung himself around to stare angrily on the Lion head image of Aslan.

"Why?" he shouted at it, "Why must Lucy and I be apart?"

He took his head in his hands, gripping at his hair.

For a moment all was still, and then suddenly the Lion shook its mane and let out a deafening roar.

Caspian flew backwards in shock but upon seeing Aslan's face he broke into uncontrollable sobs.

"King Caspian, why do you weep so?" Aslan asked in his terrible but warm voice.

"Because, because, you going to take Lucy and Edmund away aren't you?  And I'll never be able to be with Lucy.  I love her Aslan, I truly do." Caspian sobbed.

"I know King, but is it not unbecoming of a King to weep so when he will undergo many hardships in his time?  Dry your eyes Caspian, for you should meet all hardships with a strong heart."

Caspian's sobs subsided and finally he quietened.

"I'm sorry Aslan Sir, I've been so foolish," he said, not wanting to but meeting the Lion's gaze.

"Come here," Aslan replied.  Caspian crossed to him and fell upon his mane, burying his face in it.

"It is time for Edmund and Lucy to leave you," Aslan said gently, "They will travel on with Reepicheep while you will travel back to Narnia.

"Please Aslan, why can Lucy not stay here?" Caspian asked his voice muffled from the Lions mane.

"You decided that for yourself Caspian." Aslan replied his voice harsher than it had been before.  Caspian pulled away.

"What, what do you mean?" he asked, eyes wide.

"Caspian, when you decided between Lucy's hand and the sea-women, you decided your own and Lucy's fate."

"You mean…it's my fault?  Lucy can't stay here because of me and my stupidity?"

He clenched his fists in anger then began to rake a hand roughly through his hair.

"But Aslan I didn't know.  If I had…"

"If you had you would have chosen Lucy.  But an unknowing choice is always more true than a knowing one Caspian.  If you had chosen Lucy because you knew you must, your lives here would never have been happy."

"Does this mean…I do not truly love here?" Caspian asked in a deathly whisper.

"No child, you do truly love Lucy as she truly loves you.  But your paths in love will never again cross."

"And it's all my fault." Caspian said in a dull tone.

Aslan licked Caspian's face, "It will not turn out all bad Caspian.  There is another waiting whom you will grow to love."

Caspian though it was just tears that clouded his view of Aslan but when he wiped them away he found the Lions head was still, lifeless again.

"Oh Lucy," he whispered, throwing himself onto the bed.

_Lucy – Aged Sixteen_

I sit shocked, staring at the white wall in front of me.  It couldn't have been…yet it must have been.

Caspian.

I have just seen Caspian.

He appeared before me on the white wall of the school classroom, reaching out, calling to me.  I watched his lips form my name, although it was a silent call.  I look around the room.  All the other girls are unaware, staring down at their work.  My gaze falls back to the plain wall but then I begin to look through it, back to the days of Caspian and the Dawn Treader.

I still love him, I still remember so clearly our last night together as I lay so tenderly in his hold, the soft, stolen kisses we shared, holding hands under the table at meals, always trying to hide our ill-fated love from the crew.

I smile.  My memories of Narnia are always so precious and real.

I remember our separation though, my tears as I kissed him goodbye for one last time.  We both knew we would never set eyes on each other again.  Aslan told me I was never again to set foot in Narnia and although I am not angry, one never can be at Aslan, I sometimes wonder what would have happened if Caspian and I had been allowed to be together.  Would we be proud King and Queen of a new golden age in Narnia?  Would I have given birth to our children by now?

But there is another image that haunts me, in my worst nightmares, in my happiest dreams.  In waking and in sleep, the expression on his face as I last looked upon it.  The fear, the blame, the misery, the love, the loss, it was then that it hit me.  I wanted to jump up and hold out my arms to him, tell him it was ok, that I didn't blame him.

I could tell from his eyes that the moment he had refused my hand he had sealed our fate.  I had known it then and I know it now but it took Caspian's face for me to realise it.

A tear drops onto my work, smudging the words into one.  Caspian and I should have been one, united together.  But it was not to be.

I stare dreamily out of the window.  It's not wrong to dream now is it?


End file.
